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JULIUS MBEŴE Graft-busting Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has reportedly launched an investigation into alleged irregularities in the government’s procurement of multi-billion fertiliser contracts. The development comes high on the heels of an investigation by the Platform for Investigative Journalism that exposed one of the proposed procurement deals involving a group purportedly connected to the Office of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Al-Qassim, a member of the ruling family of the United Arab Emirates. The group has also come under the spotlight for other questionable deals including a botched deal at the National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) also exposed by PIJ and the acquisition of a mining license. The authenticity of the claims to the royal family itself is under question but the investigation also raised questions over flouting of the procurement rules in the proposed deal. According to The Daily Times, the move by the bureau follows a complaint lodged with the bureau by an unnamed complainant. While no specific contract under investigation has been mentioned, the probe will review wrongdoing at the Ministry of Agriculture and the Smallholder Farmers Revolving Fund of Malawi (SSFRM). “The Bureau received a complaint regarding the procurement of fertiliser and is handling it as it does with all complaints,” ACB Principal Public Relations Officer, Egrita Ndala, told the newspaper. Reportedly, Ndala further said the bureau’s investigations are confidential, stating: “Without prejudice to our response, our investigations are secret and confidential; therefore, we cannot disclose further details.” Sources privy to the investigation revealed to The Daily Times that senior government officials allegedly played pivotal roles in orchestrating some of the questionable deals. Reports suggest that the Ministry of Agriculture requested a “no objection” from the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) to bypass public procurement regulations, as mandated by the PPDA Act. The proposed contract involved the supply of 600,000 metric tons of urea and 300,000 metric tons of NPK fertilizer. The contract’s irregularities, allegedly facilitated by high-ranking government officials, have raised red flags among stakeholders. This is not the first time the government’s fertiliser procurement practices have come under scrutiny. In 2022, the government paid $727,000 (K750 million) in advance to a London-based meat production company for the supply of 25,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser under the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP). The company failed to deliver the promised fertiliser, leaving the government entangled in a protracted legal battle to recover the funds. The fertiliser procurement scandal has raised concerns about the misuse of public resources and the absence of accountability in high-stakes deals. Critics argue that such controversies undermine the AIP, a flagship initiative aimed at supporting Malawi’s smallholder farmers. The Bureau`s findings will be critical in determining the scale of corruption in such deals and restoring public trust in government operations. With billions of taxpayer funds at stake and vulnerable farmers relying on subsidised inputs, the nation waits with bated breath for the outcome of the ACB’s investigations. Civil Society Organisations and anti-corruption advocates have, for a long time, urged the government to enhance accountability mechanisms in public procurement to prevent the recurrence of such scandals. READ MORE: Without Tender, Govt Contracts LL Forex Bureau to Supply K128bn Worth of Fuel From Fuel Deal to Gold Mine– ‘Forex Bureau’ Scores (Illegally) Again Russian Donated Fertiliser to Malawi Stolen in Beira Exclusive: Another Fertiliser Scam Rocks Tonse Government LL Forex Bureau Scores Multi-Billion Fertilizer Deal. Again, It Breaks the Law FUEL DEAL: PPDA approves K128BN NOCMA-Forex Bureau contract ABOUT THE AUTHOR JULIUS MBEŴE is a journalist who regularly writes for PIJ. He has previously worked for YONECO FM. Email: [email protected] X: @CaleoneMbewe
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